The Gift
by FlowerDreams
Summary: Long ago a Gift was given to a Cat named Rowan Needleclaw. He was given the Gift of Fire, Water, and Air. Many, many seasons have passed since the evil was vanquished. But the Shadow Strikers have returned and with a new leader, a fox......
1. Chapter 1

Cat Folk Zinnia Foxtail- 

Red, long fur; she-cat with purple eyes, young and swift.

Chiu Starshine- 

Black tom with short fur and bight yellow paws. Blue/green eyes that are so light their almost white

Hazel Strongclaw- 

Large brown tabby tom. He has bright orange eyes

Teasel Longtail- 

Yellow tom with long fur and deep blue eyes, large young cat.

Firelight Bravefang _(former warrior)-_

Red tom with large fur and sky blue eyes, a very large tom. _Father of Zinnia and Teasel.  
_

Marigold Nightsong-

Bright yellow she-cat with long fur, light brown eyes. _Mother of Zinnia and Teasel.  
_

Ash Silverstrike_ (Former Warrior)-_

A dark ash colored tom with Emerald eyes.

Snowflake-

Small short-medium white she-cat with light blue eyes.

Stormy Heavyclaw _(Former Warrior)_-

A large black tabby tom with golden eyes and huge paws.

Nina-

Pure white she-cat with blue eyes. _Lives in Rowan's Forest.  
_

Marn-

Black tom with white blotches and yellow eyes. _Lives in Rowan's Forest._

Breeze-Flower_ (Often Known as Breeze) Guard of Gates-_

A white she-cat with light green eyes and a few tan-brown blotches on her tail and flanks.

Singa Honeydrop-

Grey she-cat with bright yellow eyes. _Lives in Rowan's Forest._

Memori-

A smoky gray and white she-kit.

Sonya-_ (Mother of Spice, Ginger, and Lilly)_

A grayish dim colored calico she-cat with yellow-green eyes.

Leaf-Tail-

A young blueish gray tom whom always has a leaf in his tail.

Ginger-_ (Brother of Spice and Lilly)_

A large tan tom with rough long fur and green eyes.

Spice-_(Brother of Ginger and Lilly)_

A large tan tom with smooth long fur and green eyes.

Lilly-_(Younger Sister of Ginger and Spice)_

Small gray she-cat with smooth soft fur and bright green eyes.

Zeek Sunstreak_- (Lead Tree Sight in Rowans Forest)_-

A black she-cat with yellow lightening streak going down her sleek back to a big fluffy yellow tail. She has short smooth fur, all except her extremely fluffy yellow tail. She is lean, swift, and young.

Angel Darkheart-_ (Sister of Demon Lightheart)_-

A pure white she-cat, with black on her chest, and dark blue eyes, and a mysterious personality._  
_

Ruby Goldeneye (_Queen)-_

Smokey gray she-cat with gold eyes. _Queen of Rowan's Forest and lives in the Great Pine City.  
_

Prince Airtail _(Shade Airtail, prince of Rowan's Forest)-_

Light gray tom with darker fur around his nose eyes, and on his paws, with dark gold-orange eyes. _Son of Ruby Goldeneye, male._  


Night Moonfeather-

A gray she-cat with big yellow, moonlike eyes. She is the cat who started the Gift many seasons back when there was very few Cat-Folk in the Lands. She created the gift when Sundew made her journey and ever since then the Gift has went from cat to cat every time evil returned to the land, the three cats who were given the Gift would have to choose to use it for good or evil. Though she was a cat that died many seasons before Sundew made her journey she held much power at the time.

Shadow Strikers

Blaze-

A very large, dark red fox with blood red claws and dark gray fur, and dark blue eyes that are almost black. _Leader of the Shadow Strike, Male.  
_

Zar-

A pure black small wolf with emerald eyes. He is smaller then Blaze but a fierce foe. _Main member of the Shadow Strikes, male.  
_

Narv Sharpfang-

A white fox with bright green eyes, smaller then Blaze but still a fierce fighter. _Main member of the Shadow strikers, female.  
_

Demon Lightheart-_ (Brother of Angel Darkheart)_-

A jet black tom with white on his chest, heavenly blue eyes, and is a fierce hated foe, not one you would want to meet with in a dark cave.

Gods-Goddesses

Vigar-

A pure black tom with yellow eyes. God of night and darkness, he brings chaos to the land when the folk lose their faith in the Gods. _Father of Sundew and is sign for Fire.  
_

Dovewing-

A pure white she-cat with sky blue eyes. Goddess of day and light, she brings peace to the land when the folk keep their faith in the Gods. _Mother of Sundew and is sign of Air.  
_

Sundew-

A white she-cat with black paws and bright green eyes. Goddess and protector of the land sent down when things get out of paw even for Vigar and Dovewing. _Daughter of Dovewing and Vigar and is sign of Water.  
_

Silvertounge-

A bright red fox with blood red fangs and claws. He hates the Cat-Folk Gods and plans on destroying them by destroying the Gift. He believed that they should have given the gift to Fox-Folk instead but Night Moonfeather gave it to her folk, the Cat-Folk.


	2. Chapter 2

6

Chapter 1

**_A_** small red kitten with unusual purple eyes, wondered around a large oak. _"Mamma, why do these trees grow so big?" _She asked in a small curious voice. "_Zina come back here, do you want a hawk to find you, again!"_ a yellow she-cat hissed to the kit. _"Now, now Marigold, don't go scaring Zinnia, that wasn't really her fault, and she's much bigger now."_ Mewed a bright large red tom. _"Firelight, you're hopeless sometimes."_ Marigold sighed, as Zinnia scurried back up to the two cats. _"Why do we have to travel so?"_ Zinnia asked licking her sore paw. Marigold looked to Firelight, fear and concern filled her beautiful light brown eyes as the wind ruffled her yellow fur. Firelight knew what she was thinking, she was a quick thinker_, "Now my little fox, you must not ask so many questions or you'll swallow a fly, maybe even a frog if you keep this up."_ He purred to his young kit. Marigold let out a silent sigh of relief when she noticed that her daughter forgot all about the second question.

"_Now Zina you wanted to know why these trees grew so big, correct?"_

"_Oh yes Papa! I want to know."_

"_Alright Zina, only if you do not ask any more silly questions for the day, promise?"_

"_I promise."_

"These trees grow big because this 'Rowan's Forest.' Once we travel closer to the middle of the forest it will be all pine trees that is almost as tall as this oak, but in the middle of the forest there is one particularly tall pine, the tallest, the widest, and the over all largest tree in this forest. Rowan NeedleClaw traveled to this forest, he was guided by Sundew's light. You remember that legend right? Good. Rowan was among the first folk to come to this land. He was the first one with the 'Gift of the Moon' the power given to very few folk. But it is just a myth, a story. This forest is very old and that is why it contains such large trees."

Zinnia looked up at Firelight with amazement, _"Papa, what is the 'Gift of the Moon'?"_ Her whiskers twitched as she heard thunder, though it was far away it startled her. _"Zinnia Foxtail! No more questions, it is getting late." _Marigold snapped. Zinnia shrunk back and leaped up when a cat came up behind her _"Boo!"_ the cat sprung up out of a bush. _"Teasel!" _Zinnia hissed. Teasel was a light colored tom, a tan color, not yellow, not red. _"Yes Zinnia?"_ He smirked in a sarcastic voice. _"Poor little sis, afraid of some thunder are yeah?"_ he teased her. _"Tease and Zinnia stop it! It's late and we need to find a place to sleep, it will be getting late soon."_ Firelight hissed at the two kits. _"I found a cave in that old oak."_ Zinnia piped. "_But I'm hungry…"_

"I caught a few mice while I was exploring."

Teasel was allowed to travel farther because he was much bigger then Zinnia and much stronger, also if they kept the two kits together they would do nothing but argue.

"_Momma, when will I be able to go hunting?"_ Zinnia asked as they padded toward the oak, Teasel was carrying his mice. _"Teasel gets to hunt and he isn't older then me!"_

"_But he is bigger,"_

"_But mamma…"_

"_Soon, zina, soon, but you must be patient."_

"_Your just smaller then me, a lot smaller."_ Mewed Teasel proudly.

The family entered the burrow _"I think a fox once lived here."_ Firelight mumbled while sniffing the walls. _"But it is stale and it's roomy enough for all four of us."_ Marigold purred lying down. Zinnia sighed and fell over on some old leaves that were left in the den by the former creatures that lived in it. _"Finally my paws can rest!"_ She sighed falling asleep soon beside her brother.

Zinnia dreamed of hunting and water. Though most of her folk despised water, and getting wet, she loved water. She felt as if water was her friend. As her dream went on she felt as if water was swirling below her paws, and when she looked down she was standing on water. Her eyes flew open, startled from her dream. She looked around but saw nothing but an empty den. She could hear her parents talking and closed her eyes as if she was still asleep and listened.  
_"Firelight we can't keep running like this."_ That was her mother. _"Marigold you know it cannot be helped what if Zinnia got caught?"_

"_She wouldn't be able to do anything for them; she doesn't even know that she possesses it. Yes but why are they hunting her down? They once worshiped Vigar! Sundew gave the gift to our folk, and Sundew is daughter of Vigar"_

"_That may be true but Vigar is God of darkness and don't forget that now their leader is a fox. The Shadow Strikers no longer worship Vigar but now Silvertounge. That God once over powered both Vigar and Dovewing, and we know the rest of that part of the story no need to tell it all when we know it. But now that the gift has returned… Blaze plans on destroying all who hold it. They're even turning our own folk against the Gift. That fox will destroy anything that has to do with our folks Gods!"_

"_How will they know who possesses it?"_

"_The same way we know the mark on the bottom of her pad."_

"_That means they can follow us if they find her paw tracks and know she possesses the Gift of…. Oh! Hello dear good morning, how are you?" _Zinnia stared at her parents for a few heartbeats that seemed forever. _"I'm fine."_ She lied, she was confused and felt sick with all these secrets that involved her and she didn't even know what they were.

Teasel padded around the Oak Den_, "Can I go hunting? There is so much prey in this forest!"_ He asked yawning in the dawn light, revealing his sharp white teeth. _"Can I go too?"_ Firelight nodded _"Teasel you can go hunting, take Zinnia with you. Show her how to hunt."_ He gave Teasel a stern look when he was about to protest. _"Have fun and be back before sun-high."_ The two young ones nodded and ran off. _"Firelight I hope you didn't just make a big mistake."_

"_Teasel will take care of her, and she is growing up, she'll have to face it sooner or later."_ Marigold just sighed, _"Yes I know, and she can't stay in our protection for ever, I was young once too, but her Gift…"_

"Don't worry my dear, what ever happens she is strong and she'll survive, and remember there are two others like her out there struggling with there Gift as well, lets just hope if we meet them they don't aren't using it for wrong."

Zinnia leaped after Teasel excited to go hunting. "Zinnia be careful, there is a pond near here, so don't stumble into it, I don't want to go back to Mother and Father and tell them that you drowned in the water." He hissed annoyed at her sister. "Okay." She mewed sarcastically, "Your not my boss and don't even try to act like it, I can take care of myself you know, your big oaf." She spat at Teasel. Teasel shot her an angry glance and padded on. "Ill go this way, and see if I can find anything, you see what you can find here." He mewed and padded away before Zinnia could reply. "Mouse-brain!" she mumbled. Zinnia padded away, the direction of the pond. As she listened to the wind moving the water like small waves it sounded as if the water was calling to her, ' Zinnia Foxtail… the holder of the Gift to control our waves…' Zinnia shook her head "I can't control anything" she mewed back to the silent voice, but she treaded on toward the water. Soon she found herself at the side of the small pond staring at it with her purple eyes. 'The Gift, it has returned… it has returned...' voices of the water arose to her ears, "What do you mean?" She looked down at the water in absolute confusion. Just then she remembered her dream, and what her parents were talking about. I wonder… she stepped onto the water, instead of sinking she stood upon it as if it was ground made of dirt and rock. She walked further into the water, each step making a rippling in the water as she moved along. This is amazing! I can really walk on water! She was so excited that she almost leaped but fear of falling into the water made her stay walking instead. Is… Is this the Gift? As if to answer hear the water voice came again 'She does posses it, the mistress of water!' the voices seemed to becoming from everywhere now. This made Zinnia nervous and she ran toward shore again, water splashing behind her as she made it to shore, panting and shaking with fear and exhaustion.

Teasel walked toward her with a rabbit in his mouth, he sat it down and glared at her. "What are you doing so close to the water, you mouse-brained fool!" he hissed at his sister. "It's none of your business, your not older then me, I'm not a helpless kit so leave me alone!" she hissed back and Teasel flinched at the hatred in her voice. She had never had such a harsh voice before and was directed to the unsuspecting tom. Zinnia bounded away, away from the water, away from her brother. She ran through the forest until she ran into another cat. Zinnia fell down on her tail with a light thump; she looked up and saw a black cat with white blotches. "H… hi." She stammered, staring at the cat who just gained his footing back, but did not fall. "Wow, what were you running from? Fells like your must have been running like that for a good reason." He laughed looking down at Zinnia. "N… no, I was just running from my brother. H… he made me mad." She stammered again, standing up. "Well, lucky for me you weren't running from a badger or fox or I might have been flung into a tree. Well, now don't be afraid, what's your name?" he licked his ruffled chest fur a couple of times. "My name is Zinnia Foxtail, daughter of Firelight Bravefang and Marigold Nightsong."

A gray tom came out from behind a tree. "Did you say Firelight?" she could fell his emerald eyes burning into her long red fur. "Ash, that's what she said, you heard her. Unless you're getting hard at hearing." He teased the gray tom, Ash. "Well hello Zinnia, I'm Marn, and this big rain cloud is Ash." Ash dipped his head in greeting. "Well Zinnia, what are you doing out her by yourself? Where are you parents, and your brother? See Marn, I can hear." He nudged Marn. "Honestly I don't know, they are at an old fox den."

"We'll take you back, if you want. I haven't seen the Old Firelight in many seasons."

"So you know my father?"

"Oh yes, but you'll learn more about that later, we need to get back there before dark. Marn are you coming?"

"What are you a mouse-brained pigeon? Of course I'm coming; I haven't seen him since I was kit." Zinnia looked at them in amazement, but followed. "I think Teasel has returned already." She mumbled.

Marn walked in front of her and Ash followed behind. They walked by the pond, and Zinnia stopped and stared out at the water, but this time it was silent. "Zinnia?" Ash asked as he came up behind her. "I'm fine, sorry." She smiled, though her eyes betrayed her feelings. She ran to catch up with Marn. Ash looked at the pond for a moment then went to catch up when he saw a paw-print with the sign of water on it.


	3. Chapter 3

9

Chapter 2

Firelight sat in a small clearing where a stream ran through. As he leaned over to get a drink he heard a snap. It came from up in the trees, it was too loud to be a squirrel or a bird. He took a few drinks, though watching the trees. He spotted the cat on one of the lower branches of a tree. She had black fur and strange yellow markings. _"Hello." _Firelight called to the she-cat. _"Hello."_ She meowed leaping down. _"You're traveling right? Do you need help finding your way?"_ she offered. _"Yes, I'm traveling but I know my way around. By the way if you were trying to sneak up on me, you need to try not to break the twigs so loudly."_

"_You could tell the difference?"_ she stared at him with bright yellow eyes. Most travelers didn't know the difference. _"Then speak your name and rank."_

"_Brave little one, huh? My name is Firelight Bravefang…"_ he was cut off by a voice in the forest. _"Firefluff Dreameyes is what I think."_ Ash purred stepping onto the clearing with Marn and Zinnia following behind. _"Hey grass-brain."_ Firelight wasn't too surprised to see Ash. He was surprised to see Zinnia with him though. The black and white blotchy cat seemed familiar. _"Marn, right?"_

"_Hey, so you remember me."_ Marn laughed

"_So you know each other?"_ Zeek mewed confused.

"_Well I haven't seen Marn since he was a kit. Ash, I use to travel with him. And then Zinnia the little red kit is my daughter. By the way how did you run into her?"_

"_More like she ran into us, or me to be precise. Remind me to get out of her path next time."_ He laughed.

"_Well you didn't fall at least. You eat too much; she just bounced off of you."_ Ash teased him, but looked up to the sky, his face darkened and his expression changed. _"We need to head toward the fox den were your staying."_

"_Exactly what I was thinking."_ Firelight mewed. _"I'll lead the way. If I'm right we should get there before dark."_ He said setting a steady pace toward the den. They all followed, including Zeek. Ash stayed in the rear, he was as alert as a rabbit in the Great Pine City.

They arrived there while the sky was turning from a pink to a dark blue. _"Just in time"_ Marn sighed. _"Firelight!"_Marigold yowled running up to him. _"Don't worry Zinnia is with me._" He mewed to the frantic mother. _"And these are a few of my old friends."_ He mewed, noticing she was staring at them suspiciously. _"Can we get in the den now?"_ Marn asked anxiously, Firelight nodded and led the way. It was a veer y large den, enough room for them all. _"Help yourself to the Prey Pile."_ Marigold beckoned them with her tail. They all settled down, each with a piece of prey. _"Who are these cats?"_ Teasel asked setting between his mother and sister. _"This cat, the storm cloud grey one, is Ash. We're old friend; I use to travel with him a lot when I was younger. Then the black and white tom is Marn, I haven't seen him since he was a kit. That was seasons ago since I was last here; he's grown quite a bit. Then I believe her name is Zeek, the black and yellow she-cat I just met."_ Teasel looked at the cats in awe. _"Yes, my name is Zeek. I'm Sight in the Trees, or Tree sight, for the queen of Rowans forest."_ Zeek purred proudly. _"Apprentice Tree Sight."_ Ash corrected. _"Well I'm almost a real one."_ She defended herself. _"What does a Tree Sight do?"_ Teasel asked. _"A Tree Sight is someone who moves with swiftness and silence in the trees and spies and watches over the forest."_ Marn explained. _"Not all cats go out for something, there's Tree Sight, Hidden Eyes, Warrior, and then there's cat folk, who do pretty much nothing, but raise a family."_ Ash mewed, Marn nodded. _"I'm a former warrior. Once Firelight left I got bored, I mean its no fun by your self."_ He laughed. _"Stormy left?"_ Firelight asked confused. _"Oh yes, he went in pursue of the Shadow Strikers, I'm not sure if he found them, I get a few bird calls from him. I've been tempted to eat one of those annoying things before. Squirrel call isn't any better."_ He sighed. _"Talking to birds and squirrels?"_ Teasel thought it as an outrage and a disgrace to cat folk. _"A warrior must be patient and listen to even its prey._" Firelight explained. _"So papa you were a warrior?"_ Zinnia asked, looking up at his father. He just nodded. _"So could you explain why we need to keep in during the night?" _Firelight asked. _"Alright I'll tell you."_ Ash sighed. _"The Shadow Strikers three main band cats have been spotted around here. Blaze is one of them."_ He said simply. Though his eyes traveled from Firelight to Zinnia. She shrunk back when she noticed him looking at her. _"You know don't you?"_ Firelight stared at his friend. _"Yes. Water huh? That's the one I thought wouldn't return. I mean our folk despise water but yet one of them is water, strange huh?"_ He laid down and yawned. Marigold gave a hard stare to Ash _"How can you be so calm about this! The Shadow Strikers are here. We're in danger."_ She hissed. _"Actually the one with the gift is in danger."_ Marn corrected. _"But it's not this one their after it's the one who olds Fire." _He explained. _"Does he know he possesses it?"_ Firelight asked. _"Yes, he's actually pretty good at it."_ Came a voice from the shadows, the group of cats immediately stood up, their neck fur raised. _"What a greeting._" The black tabby laughed when he stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight. _"Stormy."_ Firelight and Ash welcomed their old companion. _"Seems like the 'Ole group is back together."_ Stormy laughed, though it didn't seem very joyful for laughter, or seeing old friends again. _"The Queen sent me to find them three, seems like I found more. The Shadow Strikers are getting closer, the apprentices need Zeek to lead them, the elders are making a fuss, and the nursery is in chaos, frantic mothers, whining kits, we need help._" He mewed hurriedly. _"So we must go, seems like their not only after young Hazel but the one who holds the Gift of Water."_ Ash swished his tail toward Zinnia after Stormy finished speaking. _"Ah, so she's the one."_ Was all he said about it. _"Well we must go. More the reason to move fast."_ He started to walk toward the Great Pine City. Ash and Firelight stood up and beckoned the rest to follow. Zinnia followed Stormy with Teasel and Marigold at her side. Ash and Firelight followed behind. Zeek scouted from the trees, this time very silent.

Zinnia felt nervous, the air was filled with anticipation and it was too quiet. There was no chirping of night birds, no hooting of owls, no scuttling of little creatures. The only sound was the wind blowing through the limbs of the bare-winter trees, and the paw-steps of the traveling cats. _"We're almost there."_ Stormy announced.A few minutes later they stepped into a lighted clearing. Fire on candle posts lit it up beautifully. For a few heart-beats, and what seemed like seasons to her, Zinnia thought she must have died. _"Amazing, isn't it."_ Firelights voice brought her back to reality. _"It… It's beautiful."_ She started at the city in awe. _"Well enough gawping. Let's head into the Pine."_ Ash said calmly leading the way to the middle of the extremely large clearing. The tree was so large that Zinnia couldn't think of a word to describe it. _"This tree isn't as wide as the lake, but its close. The Pine takes half a day to run around it, the lake takes a full day, and that's running at full speed the whole way. And the tree is so large that no cat has been able to climb it, only the Night Walkers were able to, but they are all gone now."_ Zeek explained as they came to a giant root of the tree that bent up above the ground and then back in. Where the hump of the root was above ground there was a hole, or an entrance. There were rocks on each side of the entrance, the light of the candles made them sparkle. _"I bet that Hazel would be happy to meet Zinnia. Maybe something will get him to smile."_ Stormy laughed. Though Firelight didn't seem to be too pleased with his comment. _"Let's head in."_ He meowed in an irritated voice. Zeek padded in first, and the rest followed behind. They followed a slope or what was now like steps. The rock and dirt was worn down by the generations of paw steps that have treaded these same paths many, many times. In the entrance steps there were even candles in there, it lit up the walls beautifully. Zinnia looked at the walls as she walked, they were covered in drawings of cats, wolves, foxes, badgers, and some creatures she was unsure of what they were. Some where fighting, and on their fangs were red, or blood. Some were of families of cats, gentle and peaceful times. _"These walls tell of the forest's history." _Ash Explained. _"It's amazing. Never before have I though I would see something so beautiful. The history here is amazing."_ Zinnia commented. They traveled farther and farther down until Zeek stopped. _"Were here."_ She announced. Zinnia peered around her and her jaw dropped in amazement. It was an area even larger then the clearing above, lit up with beautiful candles and with cats moving about every where. There were caves heading to different areas, dens made out of bushes, sweet smell of cat-nip and fresh prey. "Zeek!" two young cats ran up to Zeek, one a blue-gray tom with a his tail tip twirled, holding a leaf that Zinnia couldn't identify he looked about the same age as herself and Zeek, the other one was much younger and was smoky gray and white. _"Hey Memori, Leaf-tail."_ Zeek greeted with a smile. _"Memori could you go and tell Breeze that our Ash and Stormy have arrived and that we have some special guest."_ The little kit scurried away toward a large cave entrance where a white and tan-brown she-cat sat. Ash and Stormy came forward, _"hello Leaf-tail."_ Ash greeted. _"What kind of leaf do you have today?"_ Stormy asked, trying not to laugh. _"sassafras"_ he said simply. _"It took me forever to find. I've been looking for this leaf for a while, I guess we had one sassafras tree in the forest. Isn't it neat?"_ Leaf-tail smiled, he seemed very proud of his sassafras leaf.


End file.
